Hanging with Otto

A buddy and I had planned a trip months in advance to climb Devils Tower. 3 days before we were about to leave we found out that the weather wasn't going to cooperate. We had already scheduled the time off from work and the last thing I wanted to do was to go back to work when I didn’t have to. So we started kicking around where to go with our long weekend. We decided to head out from Fort Collins CO to the western slope of Colorado to the Colorado National Monument. We had looked through some guide books and found a route called Otto’s Route (400ft, 5.8+, sandstone) that looked just right. Not to mention the weather in the area was calling for cool and sunny conditions.

Friday
Not put out by our sudden change of plans we packed the car and headed out early Friday morning. The drive was only going to take about 4 hrs, so we decided to get into Grand Junction early enough to find a local climbing shop and pick the their brains about this route or any other “gotta do” routes in the area.

Our drive across Colorado was filled with gray skies, cool temps, and off and on rain storms. As we got into Grand Junction the weather hadn’t improved; the sky was grey, the ground was wet, but it looked sunny off to the west. We found a climbing shop, and spent about 30 minutes talking with the employees. There were very friendly and helpful; and we were happy to learn that this climb was at the top of their “gotta do” list. It was about noon on Friday and as we left the shop we found it had started raining again. We could believe that it was raining out here in the desert (not really desert, but close enough).

The climbing shop had given us direction on where to find the route so we decided to drive out and scope the climb. Once at the trailhead the rain had stopped and we knew we had a 2 mile approach, so we decided to bring our gear just in case (also we had been told of some smaller climbs along the approach path). We hiked in to Independence Monument (the rock that our climb was on). After the hour hike in the weather had cleared enough, and the rock had dried enough too (gotta love sandstone) that we decided to give the route a go.

I lead the first pitch; it felt good to get climbing and placing gear. My buddy led the second pitch. As I was following up to the second belay station the thunder started rumbling again and then the rain began. We decided that we should rap off, so as we rap’d down it started to hail on us. So now we are trying to get off of the rock, soaking wet, shivering, and getting pelted by hail. The rap from the first belay station to the ground was a double rope rap, and with the rain, hail, and mini-flash flood that had occurred on at belay station our ropes were a mess (one giant soaking wet rats nest to be specific). I spent most of my time rapping down the last pitch pushing, kicking, and unwinding the two wet ropes.

Once back of the ground the storm blew by and the sun came back out (of course). But now that we were soaking wet and it was late afternoon (not to mention we hadn’t even found the park’s campground, looked for a site, and set up camp) we decided that the summit would have to wait until tomorrow. We found the camp ground and a campsite without any issue. We spent the remainder of the night setting up camp, eating, and hanging out wet gear in some trees to dry (chalk bag and all). I proceeded to lay awake in the tent most of the night listening to the rain storms come and go.

Saturday
We awoke Saturday morning to a partly cloudy sky. After checking the local weather and the weather for nearby Moab (contemplating moving on) and realizing that it was going to be a toss up until mid-afternoon we decided to try it again. Not knowing the popularity of the area/route on a weekend we decided to get an early start (in all actuality the locals probably weren’t too keen on the weather so they stayed home).

So after a quick breakfast we headed back over to the trailhead. The clouds threatened but stayed away, but the wind had moved in. We had sustained winds at over 20 mph. We started the climb on the north side of the rock and were able to complete the first three pitches without too much direct wind, but as we belayed and prepared for the final tower pitch (the crux pitch of the climb) we were directly exposed to the south winds. As I lead the final pitch my buddy belayed from behind what minimal wind protection he could find. I got under the final lip (400 ft up and six feet from the summit) and was being blown around like a piñata (I had to hang dog, please don’t judge me unkindly). When the wind would come, I’d turn my back to it, tuck up against the rock, and sway back and forth in the breeze. Then I’d get about 30 seconds of calm and I move up couple more moves and at time, then the wind would come again, and I repeat the cycle. After about 5 minutes of this I was able to reach the summit.

My buddy followed up behind using the same technique. We had reached the summit but were being blow silly; my teeth were chattering from the cold, so needless to say that we spent all of 15 minutes on the summit (half that time setting up for our rap down). We were able to rap down without issue.

Enough epic adventure for our 30 hrs in town; or so we thought. When we arrived back to the campground we were lucky enough to have new neighbors. We spent the entire evening listening to the two adults and six or more kids scream, yell, BLAST their car stereos, break off limbs of the trees in their campsite to build illegal campfires. The adults got drunk and got into a domestic dispute, which involved the lady screaming obscenities at her “boyfriend” in the woods behind our campsite. Our entire camping loop was unwillingly dragged into their “fun”. There was no ranger on duty and the only number the park service left to call was 911 (lame). Other campers had asked them to quiet down only to be yelled at and told to “shut up”. I finally passed out after midnight once their partying had quieted down to a dull roar.

Sunday
We wanted to get in a couple of shorter climbs in the morning before having to head back home. We picked out a nice easy looking (or so we thought) 50 ft dihedral. After my buddy got half way up the lead did we realize we didn’t have the proper gear to complete the climb. (I know shame on us. Feel free to judge me for this foo-bar.) So now we were facing how to retreat without losing a #1 BD cam. We farted around for thirty minutes into what involved me following up cleaning the “half” climb, my buddy lowering me back down, and he awkwardly down-climbing. I had to laugh at how we was not giving up and had conquered a 400ft tower climb, persisting through rain, hail, and wind; only to be shut down by a 50ft climb on a sunny pleasant day. Go figure.

After this kafuffle, it was early afternoon, so we decided to pack out and begin the 4 hr drive home. Thinking that we were finished, we drove out of town; only to find the interstate closed down due to a rock slide, which involved an additional 30 plus mile detour off the interstate to get around the effect area.

All in all it was a great trip, and definitely a memorable one. I wouldn’t have changed a thing, well maybe the obnoxious neighbors. Yes I definitely would have traded them in.

Enjoy your climbing,
Chad